Chapter 2

Hermione ran her fingers over the blood stained leaf. It was still wet, meaning that the Mindless she was tracking couldn't be far. She closed her eyes and took a long, deep sniff of air. Wisps of wind with a tiny hint of blood were coming from the north. She got up, pocketing the leaf, and ran towards her prey silently. It mustn't be far, at most around 20 kilometers from her. She dashed pass bushes and trees, and finally spotted the Mindless crouching on all fours in a small clearing, looking left and right as if confused.

Hermione was about to enter the clearing, but sensed another presence on the opposite side. She hastily dropped to the ground and hid behind a bush, and watched intently for any signs of movement. Then quite suddenly, there was a flash of silver, a blurry something darting towards the Mindless, and the Mindless lay on the ground, unconscious.

Hermione sighed. It must be a hunter, and a very fast one at that. Normally, she would just run in the opposite direction, putting as much distance between her and the hunter, as vampires were naturally faster than humans. However, today she needed to retrieve the brooch, and hoped that the hunter would leave, satisfied with his kill. She stayed as still as a statue for about ten minutes, and when she couldn't feel the presence of the hunter anymore, she cautiously stepped into the clearing.

"Don't even think about it," said a voice right in her left ear. Hermione froze. She had no idea how it happened, but the hunter that was supposed to be gone was right behind her, with his left arm wrapped around her body trapping both her arms, and his right hand holding a glinting silver knife to her neck. Nervous, Hermione twitched a fraction. Then with a simple swipe, the hunter slashed her neck. Blood poured out.

"I thought I told you not to even think about doing anything," he said, his left arm still tightly wound around her. "The only reason I didn't rip you to shreds is because I want to know why you stayed to examine this Mindless." In a fluid movement, he bound her hands behind her back with a whip with thorns, and pushed her down to the ground. "This is so that you don't get any more ideas."

Hermione grunted. Every time she moved an inch, the thorn cut into her wrists and blood seeped out, and her neck was already numb from her body trying to mask the pain. She could feel her robes slowly being soaked in her own blood. This was the way hunters attacked most vampires. Attack the vampire in any way to make the vampire lose a lot of blood, and when they are weak enough, set them on fire. Hermione gulped. She wasn't this weak. She had countless hours of training to evade most hunters. Then why was she unable to so much as notice this one's movements? It was impossible that a human could be this fast… fast enough to evade a vampire's senses.

"So, don't make me ask this twice, vampire," the hunter said, tightening his grip on the whip and making Hermione clench her teeth from the pain. "Why did you not run? What is your purpose with this Mindless?"

Hermione wasn't listening to the hunter. She was working her brains rapidly in order to figure out a way to get out of this mess, and retrieve the damn brooch. For if she didn't retrieve it, she had consequences to pay for, which she mentally wagered with herself that Tom would treat her worse than how the hunter was treating her now. But then again, Hermione realized, if the hunter killed her, she would no longer have to face this miserable, eternal life. Hermione smiled grimly. It seemed so much easier to just die, than to somehow survive and get the brooch.

"Speak!" the hunter commanded. Hermione let out a small chuckle and stared at the ground. The idea of dying was becoming more and more attractive. The hunter pulled on the whip, causing more pain and blood loss, but Hermione just laughed. Frustrated, the hunter walked around her, kneeled down, grabbed her chin, and forced her face up to meet his eyes. His pale gray eyes.

"You!" the hunter yelled, his grip tightening painfully on her chin. Hermione didn't believe what she was seeing. A pair of gray eyes, creamy white skin, and white-gold hair that gently tickled his neck. Before she could absorb the reality, the hunter let go of the whip and pushed her hair away from her left cheek. He ran his finger down the scar. The scar that came from the wound that he had inflicted, thirteen years ago.

Suddenly, Hermione realized that his wasn't holding his whip anymore, and swiftly freed her hands and jumped back, holding one hand to the wound on her neck. The hunter, dumbfounded, quickly jumped back as well, holding his knife in one hand, and the other withdrawing his wand. Hermione eyed the wand, and mentally reassured herself that she would be able to dodge any curse, and hoped that the wounds wouldn't slow her down. Her glance oscillated from the wand in his hand, and his face. He had grown to be a beautiful man.

"Hermione Granger," he suddenly said, and Hermione tensed up again, coming back to reality.

"Yes," she replied. She really didn't know what else to say.

"Hermione Granger. Hermione. Granger." The hunter's wand hand started to tremble slightly, and Hermione could see hatred flashing in his eyes. Feeling danger, Hermione instinctively hoped that the wind was blowing towards Tom Riddle's manor. That way, he would catch the scent of her blood and hopefully come to her aid. Then she mentally hit herself. What would happen if Tom came? She wouldn't die at least, but she would be punished, and she would ultimately live her damned life as Tom's plaything. Hermione's instincts screamed at her to turn and run as fast as she can, hoping Tom would come to the rescue. But her mind screamed otherwise, and welcomed death. She was so confused.

"Do you have any idea," the hunter said, taking a step closer to Hermione, making her jerk out of the war going in her mind and focus on the wand in his hand. "Do you… have any idea of what I have suffered?" another step closer. "ANY idea… what I have suffered because of you?"

Hermione didn't know what to say. After all, what could she say? It seemed that he didn't die, which she guessed was a good thing. He also obviously hasn't turned, as he had aged. This fact confused her, as he should have turned... but he didn't. So she really didn't understand where his rage was coming from. However, the rage obviously was enough to kill her, and her mind told her to just run at him and hope for Sectumsempra, the curse that all vampires feared.

"You said. You said your life was mine. I remember." The hunter suddenly dashed towards Hermione. Before she knew it, he was right in font of her, eye to eye, and his wand jabbing painfully into her ribs. "I didn't die, Granger. I didn't. I remember. I never forgot. Your name is Hermione Granger. And you owe me your godforsaken life."

Hermione raised her hand, and the hunter jerked in defense, but all she did was stroke his smooth 촏cheek. "You've grown to be a handsome man." She whispered. The hunter frowned, confused, and jabbed his wand harder into her ribs. Hermione grunted, then stood on her tip-toes to reach his right ear. "Kill me," she whispered. "Kill me now. Please, kill me." The hunter pulled away, and looked down at Hermione in confusion. Her eyes were filled with clear tears.

"Her life isn't for yours to take, you silly little boy," said another voice. Hermione knew who's it was, without even having to turn. It was Tom. The hunter didn't say anything, and merely grabbed Hermione and pointed his wand at Tom. "Sectumsempra," he whispered, but Tom was too fast for him. In a flash, Tom had dodged the spell and had his wand pointing at the hunter. A jet of green light shot out from Tom's wand, and Hermione felt the air being disturbed next to her right ear as the spell barely missed her and raced towards the hunter. Hermione no longer felt the hunter binding her anymore, so she turned, expecting to see a dead, limp body of a man. However, all she saw was fallen leaves scattered on the ground. She was surprised at herself being slightly relieved by the fact that the hunter had dodged the curse. With that realization, the tension melted in her body and she fell to the ground, unconscious.

"What's your name boy?" Tom asked, his face showing a hint of amusement. No hunter had dodged his Killing Curse before. Tom looked around trying to catch the hunter's presence, but the hunter was either already gone, or very skilled in hiding. Tom smirked. "You are not human," he said, loudly enough for the hunter to hear, as Tom instinctively knew that the hunter was still nearby. "You should not be dubbed a hunter." Tom waited for a response, but he got none, so he grabbed Hermione by her robes and hoisted her onto his shoulders.

"Draco Malfoy," a voice whispered. Tom felt the presence of the hunter, and rapidly turned towards the direction. However, as soon as the voice was gone, so was the hunter, and Tom felt that this time, he was gone for good. Tom chuckled, and secured Hermione on his shoulders. Then in a blink of an eye, he was gone.

(A/N: Not much to say again, except that constructive criticism is welcome and I heart reviews :D!)